Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 94

Puyang had slept for less than two hours before she intended to rise and enter the palace.

The sun rose late in winter. At this hour, the sky was like a black curtain, tightly drawn and impenetrable to light. Only two candles were lit in the room, which remained quite dim. Puyang did not summon anyone to attend to her. She quietly got out of bed, went into the inner room, washed up with the already cold water, and then changed into mourning clothes.

After a good cry, she felt much better.

The dead could not be brought back to life. Many things were simply a matter of acceptance. Once one saw reality clearly, after realizing one’s powerlessness, the living had to look forward.

Puyang only wanted to give her deceased father a proper send-off.

After she had tidied herself up and returned to the inner chamber, she saw that Wei Xiu was also awake and getting dressed.

“A Xiu.”

Wei Xiu, while tying her sash, turned her head. Seeing that Puyang’s expression had improved, she smiled. “Wait a moment, I’ll be ready soon.”

Puyang, already fully dressed, came over and sat by the bed.

Wei Xiu finished tying her sash and reached for the crutch that supported her. A fair, delicate hand covered the back of hers, stopping her. She looked at Puyang, puzzled.

Puyang had wanted to thank her for the embrace and comfort she had offered last night, when she was first struck by the terrible news and overwhelmed with grief. But thinking that they were a married couple, saying thank you would seem too distant. So she simply took the crutch from her hand with affection and set it aside. “I’ll go first. You can get up when it’s light.”

It was still dark outside, bitterly cold, and Wei Xiu had been rushing back and forth for two consecutive days. She was very worried that A Xiu would be exhausted.

Wei Xiu did not want Puyang to worry about her on top of everything else, so she agreed, only reminding her, “The palace is in chaos right now, Your Highness. Take more people with you.” In case anything happened, it was always more reassuring to have one’s own people to command.

Puyang agreed.

Wei Xiu lay down again, watching her walk out of the room before closing her eyes to sleep once more.

Perhaps it was because she saw that Puyang had pulled herself together, but Wei Xiu slept a little more soundly this time. When she awoke, the sky was already dawning.

The first light of dawn emerged from the east, golden, forcing back the cold and gradually spreading from a corner of the east to fill the entire sky with a myriad of golden rays. It was a rare sunny day in winter.

Under the eaves, Wei Xiu raised her eyes to the high sky in the distance. The gloomy clouds were all gone, and the sky was as blue as if it had been washed. The white snow on the roof, illuminated by the rising sun, seemed to be coated with a layer of gold, no longer glaringly white.

Wei Xiu looked up for a while, then ordered the residence to prepare a carriage. She was going to the palace.

The palace was already gloomy enough; if the weather had also been overcast, it would have been hard to even breathe. The heavens were kind, granting a clear day. Walking under the vast, open sky, everyone felt a little more at ease.

Most people were simply happy that the sunny day made things more convenient. The late Emperor was lying in state in the palace, and all the princes, nobles, and titled ladies from within and without the court had to enter the palace at scheduled times to mourn. If it were snowing or raining, it would be wet and messy, which was always inconvenient. A sunny day was much better.

But Xiao Dewen did not think so. He believed this was a propitious omen! A sign from the heavens!

He had read history books. Whenever an enlightened ruler emerged, there would always be some unusual celestial signs. He had always yearned for this when he read about it. Now, as soon as he ascended the throne, the sky had cleared. It was evident that even Heaven knew he was an enlightened ruler, perhaps even a sage king!

Xiao Dewen spread his arms, allowing the palace attendants to dress him in the ceremonial robe that had been hastily made overnight. He was immensely pleased. From this day forward, this world was his!

Once dressed, he started to walk out. A eunuch behind him hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, you haven’t put on your mourning clothes yet!”

He caught up, holding a mourning garment made of hemp cloth, which Xiao Dewen was supposed to wear over his ceremonial robe. Xiao Dewen glanced at it and frowned. This garment made of raw hemp was coarse and greatly detracted from his majesty.

He considered that as a new emperor, his authority was not yet established, so it was better to be a little more modest for now. He would get through the late Emperor’s funeral first. Once all the white banners in the palace were taken down, it would be his time to display his ambitions.

Having made up his mind, Xiao Dewen raised an eyebrow and said, “Bring it here for Us to wear.”

He was going to offer incense before the spirit tablet first.

Upon entering the palace, Wei Xiu happened to run into Xiao Dewen.

Xiao Dewen, now considering himself the emperor, was very different from before. He spoke with a certain arrogance befitting a superior. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Wei Xiu, he looked straight ahead and said, “We still have to meet the court officials. The Prince Consort may do as he pleases.”

Wei Xiu noted his frivolous words and arrogant demeanor, and a satisfied smile touched her lips. She bowed her head slightly in a gesture of seeing him off.

Xiao Dewen walked away, head held high, brimming with pride and satisfaction.

How could Wei Xiu take his rudeness to heart? The more he got carried away, the happier she was. With the new emperor’s restless nature, he would surely be eager to prove himself. A young emperor and his regents had always been difficult to reconcile. It was likely that friction would soon arise. Puyang was one of the regents, and she was Puyang’s Prince Consort. Given their close relationship, it would be difficult to placate Xiao Dewen any longer. Since that was the case, it was better not to try.

As soon as Xiao Dewen left, Wei Xiu stopped a eunuch and asked, “Do you know where Her Highness Puyang is?”

Seeing it was her, the eunuch immediately put on a fawning smile. “So it is the Prince Consort Wei. Her Highness Puyang has gone to the Hall of Proclaimed Virtue to sort through the late Emperor’s belongings.”

The late Emperor had no living empress, and no concubine in the rear palace was particularly favored. Puyang, not trusting Xiao Dewen’s impetuous nature, had gone to do it herself.

Wei Xiu was silent for a moment, gave the eunuch a slight nod, and went to a side hall.

Many people were coming and going to mourn, either high-ranking ministers or nobles of the imperial clan with esteemed bloodlines. The palace had specially cleared out several chambers for them to rest.

The guests were separated by gender. At this time, all the princes and princes consort were present, with only the Prince of Jin nowhere to be seen. He was in the rear palace, discussing with Consort Shu what to do next.

The Prince of Jin, after a night of dejection, had come back to life. So what if he had paved the way for someone else? At least the late Emperor was truly dead. So what if the three regents were formidable? They were not the emperor, so many things they did were not as legitimate. As for the emperor, did the current emperor possess the late Emperor’s daring and ability? A mere boy, not worth mentioning!

Having come this far, the Prince of Jin would not retreat. Although the appearance of three regents was outside his expectations, at least he could use the chaos at court to regroup, no longer living on a knife’s edge as he had when the late Emperor was alive.

Consort Shu also persuaded him in this way: “How a young emperor and old ministers get along has been a difficult problem since ancient times. You just watch, the court will not be peaceful.”

The Prince of Jin had not often discussed strategies with his mother before. This time, he had to seek out Consort Shu to use the palace’s power to destroy evidence. After a few confidential discussions, he finally realized his mother’s usefulness.

Consort Shu was not a woman who would resign herself to fate. If she were docile, she would not have raised a son with the wolfish ambitions of the Prince of Jin.

“The chaos at court is your opportunity. The Prince of Zhao is reckless, the Prince of Dai is cowardly, the Prince of Jing is foolish. If you can obtain the throne and occupy the moral high ground of ritual law, the ministers will stand with you. These three are no threat. In the current situation, the most difficult thing is how to make Xiao Dewen abdicate,” Consort Shu analyzed.

“Not just Xiao Dewen, but also Puyang. How could Puyang not know what Wei Xiu did? Mother, look at how she pretends to be so filial and righteous. Isn’t she also hoping for the late Emperor to die?” the Prince of Jin sneered.

In this palace chamber, only he and his mother were present. The servants had been sent far away, and all doors and windows were guarded by Consort Shu’s confidants. Moreover, the old reign was over and a new emperor was newly established. At a time like this, everyone was worried about their own future, and no one was paying them any mind.

Consort Shu looked at the deep shadow under the window, a hesitant look on her face. She said slowly, “I, on the other hand, think Puyang truly didn’t know about this. She was close to the late Emperor. One or two months, one or two years, perhaps. But after twenty years together, how could the late Emperor not know what kind of person she is? One can’t pretend for that long.”

The Prince of Jin was dismissive at first, but after careful thought, he also found it reasonable. “Mother means…”

Consort Shu smiled and said in a low voice, “To bring about their ruin, one must first cause internal strife.” She beckoned to the Prince of Jin. “My son, come closer and listen.”

The Prince of Jin quickly rose from his seat, walked to Consort Shu’s side, and bent down to listen.

Consort Shu’s red lips parted, whispering a few words. The Prince of Jin’s spirits were lifted, his eyes shining with a strange light.

After listening, he stood up and smiled. “Mother’s plan is excellent. It’s just…” He frowned slightly, then knelt on the floor beside Consort Shu. He said in a low voice, “To pin the late Emperor’s death entirely on Wei Xiu will not be easy.”

Wei Xiu had not been involved in the late Emperor’s death in the slightest. The poisoned ginseng soup had long been disposed of, and the source of the poison had also been dealt with cleanly. Forging evidence now would surely leave flaws. Puyang’s power was growing. If her Prince Consort were framed, she could mobilize half the court to investigate the matter. At that time, the Prince Consort would be cleared, and the one who framed her would have nowhere to hide.

Consort Shu chided, “Of course, we wait until Puyang is powerless to control the court. Why are you being so inflexible? If you want to be emperor, you must have a firm standing in ritual law. The best way is to prove that the imperial edict was a forgery. If the edict is fake, then the person who ascended the throne is naturally invalid. At that time, you can use the hands of the clan elders to establish you as emperor. These things can only be done after you control the court.”

Once the power of the court was in the Prince of Jin’s hands, his word would be truth. If he said the late Emperor was harmed by Wei Xiu, then he was harmed by Wei Xiu. Since the late Emperor was murdered, this suddenly appearing edict naturally could not be considered genuine.

The Prince of Jin was overjoyed. “Excellent, excellent. This way, future generations cannot question me. However, it’s still too early to talk about these matters of ritual law. For now, what should we do?”

“For now?” Consort Shu smiled with exceptional gentleness. “For now, of course, we start where the weakness lies.”

The Prince of Jin understood immediately and also revealed a reserved smile. “Mother is brilliant.”

The weakest point right now was naturally the relationship between the monarch and his ministers. Xiao Dewen was not a person who would stay quiet. He could act and endure, but only when he was subordinate to others. He would certainly have his own views on governance. But would the ministers listen to him? The late Emperor’s orders were followed because he founded the Great Wei, because of his glorious achievements, his majesty, and his prestige, and also because he got along well with the court ministers and could command the respect of the entire realm.

What did Xiao Dewen have? He had nothing but the empty title of emperor.

The ministers might not obey him; because he was young, they would look down on him. The regents had the heavy responsibility of assisting the emperor, and they certainly would not let him act recklessly.

Thus, resentment was bound to arise between the monarch and his ministers.

Among the regents, Puyang seemed to be ranked last, but in reality, with the Chancellor being old and the Prince of Zheng being mild, she was the most crucial of the three.

Once the late Emperor’s funeral rites were over, she would legitimately attend court.

Afterwards, whether in reporting matters or making decisions, once she acted, she would surely bring a faction of ministers to follow her. In the past, she did not stand in court. Although the ministers under her were of one mind, they lacked a leader and seemed scattered. Now, the Princess’s faction had clearly emerged. Everyone was shocked to see that over the years, Princess Puyang had accumulated such a formidable force. How many people in this court could now challenge her prominence?